Breed Specific Legislation - What is it? Laws that ban or severely restrict the ownership of a particular breed. These laws declare an ENTIRE breed "dangerous or vicious" based on the actions of a few members of the breed. Breed specific laws are often a knee-jerk reaction from politicians who want to say they are "doing something" to stop dog bite incidences and fatalities after a highly publicized dog attack. These highly publicized attacks bring to the public's attention a perceived need for more stringent laws governing restraint of dogs. We all want to prevent dog attacks, however, breed specific laws have proven to be INEFFECTIVE in the reduction of dog bite incidents. Breed specific laws do NOT protect communities from fatal dog attacks and dog bite injuries.

Furthermore, breed specific laws target and punish all dogs, and the owners, of a breed; the guilty ones AS WELL as the innocent. Well behaved dogs of that particular breed are seen, classified, and treated the same as the dogs that have in fact bitten or attacked someone. Deeds, not breeds, should determine whether a dog is dangerous. Why should a life-saving American Pit Bull Terrier, and her owner, be punished for the irresponsible actions of somebody else who simply happens to own the same breed?! Laws need to hold INDIVIDUALS accountable for their own actions. Law abiding citizens should not be punished for the reckless or irresponsible actions of another citizen.

In addition to punishing responsible owners for the irresponsibility of a minority of owners, breed specific laws are not effective for many reasons:

Breed specific laws have been ruled unconstitutional and continue to be challenged in several court cases across the United States. Breed specific laws don't acknowledge the fact that a dog of ANY breed can be dangerous. The law should protect your community from ALL dangerous dogs. Breed specific laws target breeds that statistics claim are responsible for more bite incidences than other breeds. The "breed" most often targeted is the "Pit Bull". The " Pit bull" is not a breed, but a "type" that encompasses several registered breeds and crossbreeds. Another example of "types" are Retrievers (Labrador, Golden, Chesapeake, Flat-Coated, etc.) and Spaniels (Brittany, English Springer, Cocker, Water, etc). Therefore, statistics that claim "Pit bulls" are responsible for more attacks than other "breeds" are not entirely accurate. Breed specific laws are hard to enforce fairly and effectively because the task of breed identification requires expert knowledge of the individual breeds, and is compounded if the law includes mixed breeds. The only way to identify a dog's breed is by its appearance. Breed cannot be determined genetically and many breeds have the same, if not very similar appearances. Click HERE to play "Find the Pit Bull". Breed specific laws are extremely burdensome and costly to implement. A majority of dog attacks could've been prevented if there had been strict enforcement of existing law. If it's already too difficult, or perhaps not a priority, to enforce current dog laws, additional laws will not make a community any safer.

"At no time during our lives will we ever come in contact with another living creature that will show such faithfulness and loyalty as the dog shows us. Even now when we wait in ambush to destroy his noble heart, he will approach in love and faith and accept the brutality and vicious deceit of his master and, if necessary, protect him while he carries out his act of treason. For those of us who not only search for, but also need the touch of this noble head, it is time to realize the dog is but a mirror of man's soul. We must correct the problems at their source otherwise tomorrow, after we've banned all the dogs, we will be banning birds or cats or maybe even some of us". -- Mike McConnery

For Pits' Sake™ HIGHLY recommends the book "Dogs Bite: But Balloons and Slippers are More Dangerous" by Janis Bradley. Book description: Dogs can be dangerous. And they are more dangerous to children than to adults. But here's the reality. Dogs almost never kill people. A child is more likely to die choking on a marble or a balloon, and an adult is more likely to die in a bedroom slipper related accident. Your chances of being killed by a dog a roughtly one in 18 million. You are five times more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning. We must maintain perspective. Yes, dogs bite. But even party balloons and bedroom slippers are more dangerous.

For Pits' Sake™ HIGHLY recommends the book "The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression " by Karen Delise. Book description: At perhaps no time in history has mankind been as ignorant of natural canine behavior as we find ourselves at the beginning of the 21st century. The human/dog bond—the most complex and profound inter-species relationship in the history of mankind—has now been reduced to a simple axiom: Breed of dog = degree of dangerousness. In a society unparalleled in its access to information and ability to control our natural environment, we now claim that we are unable to master our dogs. Unwilling to assume responsibility for the control and care of our canine companions, we instead hang entire breeds of dogs in effigy for the sins of their owners. Society now accepts this "solution to the dog bite problem" because we have been placated by a Pit Bull Placebo. The Pit Bull Placebo examines actual cases of severe dog attacks during the last 150 years—the circumstances, the individual dogs involved, the victims, and our interpretations of these events—in an attempt to offer a reasoned and balanced perspective on the behavior of dogs and the critical role humans play in the management and treatment of our canine companions.

Links to Breed Specific Legislation Information

"You made me what I am today, courage at its best. You wanted me to know no fear, a cut above the rest. Not only did I master that, I've thrown in loyalty, too. Look past my eyes into my soul, you know I'd die for you. I'll watch your kids, I'll watch your house. Your praise will be my crown, Ask what you will-I'll do my best, I'll even be your clown. But some of you don't like me, I really don't know why. The only thing I'm guilty of is courage, love, and try. But still they want to see me go, they want my breed to end. Will I see you sitting idly by? You, whom I call a friend? You made me what I am today, you never saw me waiver. I've done my best to keep you safe. Won't you please return the favor?" - Cheryl Crabb